The 2025 Chaminade Flyers have been masters of the one-score game. On Saturday in White Plains, the Crimson and Gold clutched up when it mattered most, defeating Archbishop Stepinac in the CHSFL AAA quarterfinals, 18-14. 

"These are the types of things that teams that could go on and win championships do," said Chaminade head coach Tom Claro. "They win close games and never stop."

The Flyers are now 5-1 in one-possession games, boasting the most wins in that category in the AAA division.

Chaminade had to come from behind to punch their ticket to the semifinals. Trailing 14-12 with under five minutes to play, QB Sean Carnevale dropped one in the basket of receiver Sean Powers, who held on with the tips of his fingers for a spectacular touchdown catch to put the Flyers on top. 

"We just banded together like brothers," reflected Powers. "I put my faith in God and in the team. Everything happens for a reason, and it all fell into place."

On the ensuing Stepinac drive, Shaye Sykes - who had muffed a punt minutes earlier - reeled in a crucial interception to set up the Flyers offense with a chance to ice the game.

However, Carnevale & Co. could not seal the deal. Stepinac retook possession with just over two minutes to play and a chance to win the game with a touchdown, but the Flyers D had other ideas. On fourth down, linebacker Liam Trainor strip-sacked Crusaders QB Jahmai McNeil to send the Crimson and Gold to the semifinals. 

Chaminade's defense played incredibly in the second half, blanking the Crusaders to give the offense an opportunity to complete the comeback.

"The defense is the backbone of this team, and it has been for the whole year," said Claro. "We never felt like we were out of it because we knew we could rely upon the defense."

"Teamwork," added Sykes, speaking of the unit's secret to success. "We're united; we're like a family out here."

Throughout the week, multiple media outlets had branded this game "The Rematch," a nod to the initial tilt between these squads back in September - one in which Chaminade came out on top in double overtime, 24-23.

This time around, Stepinac got off to a flying start on both sides of the ball. After forcing a brief three-and-out on defense, the offense got on the board with a quick touchdown courtesy of John Smith. The Crusaders' leading rusher easily found a hole and made several Flyers miss in the open field for a 39-yard score, making it 7-0 early on. 

Fortunately for the Flyers, they immediately responded against Stepinac's stellar defense, using some late-down magic to swiftly move closer to the red zone. The sequence culminated in a 35-yard TD catch by Anthony Trapani, who stumbled through a tackle and dove his way to paydirt. A blocked PAT kept the Crusaders up a point, 7-6.

The defenses dominated the rest of the first half, with each team forcing a turnover as well as numerous punts. 

However, the Stepinac offense reignited itself late in the second frame by executing a perfect two-minute drill. The dynamic duo of McNeil and receiver Richie DeMarco led the Crusaders into the red zone, but it was Smith who punched it in yet again - this time from seven yards away - to make the score 14-6 at intermission. 

With just one half to play and their season on the line, the Flyers needed to step up.

"What we said to them was, 'The score doesn't matter at this point. If we play mistake-free football, we're going to win this game,'" said Claro. "Just play physical, play like you know how to play, and go out and win the game."

Chaminade answered the call, making the first impact play of the second half by forcing Smith to cough up the football with the Crusaders on the doorstep of the red zone. 

Immediately after, the Flyers seemed to connect on a 75-yard lightning strike to put them in a position to even the score, but a controversial offensive pass interference flag took the points off the board and infuriated an already-annoyed Chaminade coaching staff. 

However, the Flyers defense remained unfazed, forcing a turnover on downs on Stepinac's next possession. 

Finally, the Chaminade offense kicked it into gear as the third quarter melted into the fourth. Again, it was Trapani who put the points on the board, as the two-way star took a handoff from his QB and zig-zagged between defenders to find the end zone from 21 yards out. 

A crucial unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the touchdown prevented the Flyers from attempting what would have been the game-tying two-point conversion. Then, Stepinac blocked the ensuing PAT to keep it 14-12, which likely would have been the final score if not for the Crimson and Gold's late-game heroics.

Next week, the Flyers will have a tall task ahead, as they square off with the top-seeded Monsignor Farrell Lions in Staten Island. Last season, the Flyers went on the road and ended the Lions' season in a 14-7 quarterfinal victory.

In anticipation of another tight contest, Claro acknowledged that his squad still needs to be better in certain areas:

"We make a lot of mistakes and take a lot of penalties," he admitted. "We have to play much more mistake-free football going forward, as we are now in crunch time, and we're playing the best team in AAA."

The Flyers and Lions will take the field under the lights on Friday night with a trip to the CHSFL championship game on the line. Kickoff from Staten Island is scheduled for 6 p.m.